Inclosed electric switch



Aug. 12, 1930. H. BRACHTI. 1,772,982

INCLOSED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 17. 1928 ZI kg; Z0 f5 f VEN rom Hen/y /acf/ fr/g5.

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Patented Ang., E29 i193@ UNllllll@ STAES narrar onirica HENRY BRCHTL, @E CHICAGO, ILLINCS, ASSEGNCR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TC APPLETCN ELECTRIC COMPANY, F CHICAGO, XLLINOIS, A. CORPORATXCN CE ELLE NCES ENCLOSED ELECTRIC SWITCH application ied February l?, i923. eral No. 255,03.

rllhe invention relates generally to switches which are inclosed so that they may be safely operated even in the presence of inflammable gasesn More particularly the invention relates to means for operating an inclosed switch from. outside of the inclosing casing.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel lnclosed switch wherein an inclosed switch of the toggle type is operated by a rectilinearly movable member which extends through the casing and engages the switch arm.

Another object is to provide such a switch in which the switch arm may be operated by a rectilinearly movable member without a tendency to bind the parts moved.

Another object is to provide an enclosurev for an electric switch having switch operating means which may be combined satisfacd torily with the commercially produced toggle switch without the necessity of altering any part of the switch.

'Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l. is a perspective view of an in-= closed switch which embodies the present invention. v

lFig. 2 is a side elevationalview of the device showing the operating means in section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the operating means.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional view of a portion of the operating means.

While the invention is susceptible of vari-` ous modifications and alternative constructions, l have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

toggle switch of well known construction having a pivoted switch lever or finger piece is mounted in any preferred manner within a closed metallicgbox l1 having an internally threaded cylindrical portion 12 projecting from oneend thereof to receive the end of a suitable conduit through which the electric wires are brought to the switch.

ln the preferred embodiment, one side 13 of the box ll is removably secured thereto by means of a plurality of screws it which pass through sultable apertures in the side ld through a gasket 14a which is interposed, and intoengagement with the body of the box.. 'lhus by removing the side 13 the switch may be readily mounted within the box, the switch lever 10 being preferably positioned so as to extend outwardly from the center of the box into an extension or housing l5 which is formed upon the side 13.

Rectilinearly movable means is provided which is preferably mounted on the remov able side 13 and extends through the case to engage and operate the switch lever i() about its pivot 16. ln order that inflammable gases v may be easily and edectively excluded from. the casing, this means is preferably in the form of two axially alined plungers el which extend through apertures 5 formed in opposite ends of the housing l5, and which are longitudinally slidable through suitable stuffing boxes 6 positioned thereabout. Each of the stuffing boxes comprises an enlarged interiorly threaded bore 7 formed coaxially with the aperture 5 in the end wall of the tol housing, this bore being adapted to receive suitable packing 8 which is compressed between the abutment formed by the end wall of the housing and a threaded collar 9 which surrounds the plunger 4. y

The means for engaging the plungers d with the switch lever 10 is preferably of such a character that force may be applied to the switch lever substantially tangentially of its arc of movement, this force being applied to the lever by a member which does notchange position relatively to the lever durmg the movement of said lever by said operating means.

'50 the embodiment illustrated herein, a To this end a lever receiving cradle mem- 104D member 20 along the definite arcuate path,

this means herein comprising a pair of plates -23 which are suitably secured to the outer wall of the housing 15 as by screws 24 and which extend downwardly therefrom along opposite sides of the cradle member in planes substantially parallel to the path oit movement of said switch arm. Similarly positioned arcuate slots 25 are formed 1n the plates 23, these slots being centered apprximately about the same axis 16 as the switch lever 10. Suitable projections or followers 26 are formed on the cradle member which project into the arcuate guide slots 25 so that when a force is applied tothe cradle 20long1- tudinally of the plates 23, the cradle must move, if at all, along an arcuate path defined by the slots 25.

Within the housing 15 and between the plates 23, a suitable cage member 37 is positioned which is connected to the inner ends of both of the plungers 4 so as to be movable thereby. The cage member 37 as shown herein comprises a base plate 38 and end members 39 which are attached to the plungers 4 by means such as riveting the plungers 4 in apertures formed therein. The end members 39 extend downwardly (Fig. 2) so as to engage the end members 22 of the cradle 20l during its entire range of movement, thus being in a position to engage the cradle when moved by the plungers 4 and move the cradle along the guide slot 25 to operate the switch lever 10.

It will be apparent that the present invention provides an inclosed switch in which the common type of toggle switch may be effectively used and in which the switch arm may be operated by means of a reetili'ne'arly movable member extending through the inclosing casing. It will also be apparent that an efficient operating means has been provided for the operation of a toggle typ? switch, which means is such that binding etween the 'operating means and the switch arm is prevented.

I claim as my invention:

1. Thecombnation with an electric switch of the toggle type having a pivoted switch arm, ofk a box memberinclosing said switch and means mounted on said box member operable from the outside of said box to move said switch arm about its pivot, said means comprising a pair o plates mounted on said remesa therein centered approximately about the` pivotal axis of said arm, a cradle member surrounding said arm and engaging said guide slots for movement along said slots, and means movable in a rectilinear path and operable to move said cradle along its arcuate path, said means comprising a plunger entering said box member and means mounted on said plunger engaging said cradle at all points in its movement along its arcuate path.

2. An actuating device ada ted Jfor moving the pivoted switch arm o a toggle type electrical switch, said device being of such a character as to be freely applicable to said switch arm without positive rigid attachment thereto and comprising a housing, a cradle member mounted on said housing and adapted to slip over said arm to engage the two sides thereoi:` to which force must be applied, guide means mounted in said housing and engaging said cradle member to guide said cradle along an arcuate path substantially concentric with the pivotal axis of said switch arm, and means mounted on said housing movable in a rectilinear path across said arcuate path, the last said means being operatively connected to said cradle member to move said cradle member along its arcuate path to operate said switch arm.

3. The combination with an arm mounted for swinging movement about a pivot, of means for moving said arm about said pivot, said means comprisinga cradle adapted to surround said arm and mounted for movement along an arcuate path, and a cage member movable along a rectilinear path lying along a chord of said arcuate path, said cage operatively `engaging said cradle to impart movement thereto.

4. An `inclosed switch comprising a box member having a removable side, a switch of the toggle type mounted within said box member having a pivoted switch arm swingable along an varcuate path to operate said switch, said box member having an aperture formed therein, a plunger longitudinally re' ciprocable in said aperture, a packing box1 about said plunger, a member within said housing engaging said switch arm and adapted to move said arm to operate said switch, and means operatively connecting the inner end of said plunger with said member for transmitting movement from said plunger tosaid member.

5. The combination with an arm mounted for swinging movement over an arcuate path about a pivot, of a member mounted for movement along a rectilinear path, and means mounted for movement by said member operable to apply force to said arm per pendicularly thereto during the lentire range of movement of' said arm. 6. Means for actuating aM pivoted switch `arm comprising a member adapted to engage said arm and movable in an arcuate path' substantially concentric with the pivotal axis of said switch arm, and means movable along a rectilinear path for moving said member.

7. A combined cover and switch operator for a switch box comprising a plate adapted to close the open side of such a box, a housing on said -plate projecting outwardly therefrom and opening on the inner side to receive and surround the operating lever of a toggle type switch mounted in said box, a plunger projecting through a wall of said housing and movable therethrough substantially in the plane of movement of such a. switch lever, and means within the housing connected to said actuating member ar-A ranged to operatively engage the switch lever.

8.v A. combined cover and switch operator for a switch box comprising, in combination, a plate adapted to be secured in closing relation to the open side of a switch box, a housing projecting outwardly therefrom and opening on the inner side of said plate to receive and surround the operating lever of a switch mounted in said box, a plunger slidably mounted in a wall of said housing for movement substantially in the plane of movement of such a switch lever, and a cradle operatively connected to said plunger within said housing s o as to be movable by said plunger and arranged to actuate the switch lever when so moved, said cradle being mounted so as to follow the arc of movement of the switch lever.

9. A combined cover and switch operator for a switch box comprising, in combination,

a plate adapted to be secured in closing relation to the open side of a switch box, said plate having an inwardly opening outwardly projecting housing thereon to receive and surround the operating lever of a switch mounted in a switch box, a cradle mounted in said housing arranged to operatively engage such a switch lever when the plate is positioned on the switch box, a plunger mov ably mounted in and projecting through a wall of said housing and operable to move said cradle to actuate said switch lever, and

. means to guide said cradle in an arcuate path to follow substantially the path of movement of said lever. l p

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto ajxed my signature.

'lr-ENR?? BRACHTL., 

